News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-12-29
What Came of it,
Chicago Ledger.

Stuart Willard was d kind -hearte,
boy, frank, generous, honest and truth
full, but SO lazy that his mother despair
ed of ever seeing him amount to any
thing. She was widow, with no one
| to help her train her son, and neithe
advice, eXpostulation nor argument hat
any effect upon him. He studied NJ
more than was actually necessary to en-
able INN to keep up with his classes
mad no ambition to be at the head O
any of them, and worked as little q.
possible about the house, though love
and consideration for his mother pro
vented him from ever shirbine his regt:
lar duties, such as milking the COW,
cutting wood and bringing water. But
he stared at her aghast when she pro.
posed that he should take entire charge
OF the garden, devoting to it his time
before and after school hours, thus say
ing the expense of hiring help.
20 mother, [ never could" he said,
1.-The weeds would be higher than nv
head IN a months time: I'm no hand at
rake OR hoe"
you're no hand at anything, SO far
as can see, said his mother. ''Therc
viii have to be radical change in you,
Stuart if you expect ever to win money
or position.
81 don't know that I care for either, "
answered Stuart. "I'm not one of the
pushing kind. A quiet life suits me
"And you'll be content to see all your
triends get ahead of vou. [ suppose"
ROW, m1the", don't w0rrv"-aud
Stunrt looked really distressed "IU
come out all right never fear.
"There'll have to be a miracle worked,
then, said Mrs. Willard, signing.
''Laziness is the one fault of your char
acter, and it will keep you down all
your life,
Though adverse to exertion of anv
kind, Stuart was fun-loving boy, al
ways ready for frolic, and not apt to
think, until repentance was too late to
be of any avail, of the right or wrong of
the good time. And he had three par
tlcular friends, who, in boy parlance,
never stuck at anything" when there
was fun ahead.
They nll considered old Simon Peif-
fer, the richest man in Westville, fair
game, for it was we'll known that he
hated anything in the shape of boy,
and never spoke to OF looked at one, lit
tie or big, without growing like the
rough old bear he was believed to be.
He was an old bachelor, and lived
with q housekeeper and half a dozen
servants in handsome house in the sub
urbs Of the town, and he might have
thoroughly enjoyed his large grounds,
fine orchards, and well-bred live stock,
but for the boys of the town, who mis-
chievously MIXED his COWS, stole his
fruit, fished in his trout pond broke
down his fences, left his gates open,
and made themselves generally obnox-
ious.
The culprits always managed in some
way to escape detection. Well did they
know the terrible example that would
be made of the first boy old Simon
caught, He openly declared that he
would show no mercy, and would know
how to deal with the offender.
We never know how our most trihing
impulses, if acted upon, may affect the
lives of others. When Ben Hopper
stopped one May evening at the gate of
the little cottage in which Stuart lived,
and asked if lie didn't want to go out to
the old mill on the Greek road to hunt
squirrels, no intuition told him that he
was doing something which was to lead
to an event that would influence all the
rest of Stuarts life. Stuart accepted
the invitation, of course, and on their
way out of town the boys were joined by
Tom Halpine and Luke Wright, who
were quite as fond of squirrel hunting
as were Stuart and Ben.
For at least half mile after leaving
the town the Creek road was bounded
on one side by pasture belonging to
Mr.. Peiffer, and so generously did IL
abound with chestnut, persimmon and
crab apple trees that the boys were
familiar with every rod of it,
But it was not the season now for
chestnuts, persimmons or crab-apples,
and the squirrel Hunting party would
have gone whistling and shouting by,
had not handsome brown horse, quiet
ly grazing the short grass. raised his
head at sight of them and whinnied
softly.
81 know something we can do sight
better'n squirrel-hunting," said Luke
Wright, stopping short. "What do you
say to a rideI"
'1'm in for it,, answered Tom Hal
pine. 81 don't believe we'd find any
squirrels anyhow. They're gettin' Sc
shy they don't come around the mil
like they used to-"
The brown horse had probably beer
feeling lonely, and was glad of com
pany, for he made no objection what
ever when Stuart let down q par o
bars, and going up to him, took hold 0
his forelock and led. him into the road.
But he objected very vigorously t.
having four boys ON his back Mt on,
time, and kicked and careered until h,
succeeded in ridding himself of all fou
of them.
"We1l have to take turns riding,
said Ben Hopper. each fellow can g
rs far as the bridge, and then tu.r
back.
They had made bride out of a rop
Stuart had in his pocket and q piece o
wood they picked up in the road, anC
the horse allowed himself to be guide'
very easily. He seemed spirited bu
very gentle, and had evidently beel
/ trained to trOt.
The boys acted on Ben's suggestion
and took turns at trying the animal,
PAGES, enjoying themselves SO mucI
| that they were Ioath to end the spor
when it began to grow dark.
"I must have one more ride, and the
| 7 will be even with the rest OF you ant
- ,o,, ,,o bonoa " said Stuart. as LUX